The invention relates to a centrifuge with vertical pivot axis, including a centrifugal drum formed with a peeling chamber which is connected via at least one drain channel to the partition space of the centrifugal drum and having a peeling device disposed in the peeling chamber for effecting a continuous drain of a liquid phase clarified or separated in the centrifugal drum, as well as a locking disk located above the peeling chamber and securely fixed to the peeling device, with the locking disk projecting in a locking chamber circulating conjointly with the centrifugal drum, wherein the peeling device is provided with a channel for supply of a sealing liquid into the locking chamber, and the locking chamber is bounded upwardly and outwardly by a lid having a free edge facing the pivot axis and forming an overflow weir.
Water or another foreign liquid may be used as sealing liquid that is introduced from outside into the locking chamber.
The peeling chamber situated above the peeling chamber and called also hydrohermetic chamber prevents penetration of atmospheric air into the peeling chamber and thus into the liquid phase peeled off from this chamber.
There is known a centrifuge of the above-stated type (DE 40 14 552 C1), in which deposits of solids may form at the periphery of the locking chamber during operation and cannot be flushed out even during CIP method. These deposits, in so far as being of organic nature, may start to decay, so that the product passing through the centrifuge can be contaminated.